Mini Me Geology Blog » Minerals http://www.minimegeology.com/blog Rocks for Kids, Teachers, Parents and Homeschoolers Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Rock Detectives kits are fun for elementary kids http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/09/rock-detectives-kits-are-fun-for-elementary-kids/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/09/rock-detectives-kits-are-fun-for-elementary-kids/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:12:01 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=740 The Rock Detectives are the perfect mineral and rock kits for elementary age geologists.  Each kit contains 6 or 7 rocks or minerals or rocks, a hand magnifier, and a printable mini-CD with 30 pages of geological information, rock and mineral identification activities, puzzles, experiments, projects, coloring pages, creative writing exercises and fun!  Shop today for these fun little kits.

Choose from:

  • Mineral Mission
  • Igneous Investigation
  • Metamorphic Mystery
  • Sedimentary Sleuthing
  • Crystal Experiments
  • Crystal Geometry

 

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/09/rock-detectives-kits-are-fun-for-elementary-kids/feed/ 0 Our Rock Cycle Kit is Fun and Educational http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/06/our-rock-cycle-kit-is-fun-and-educational/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/06/our-rock-cycle-kit-is-fun-and-educational/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:06:01 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=710 The Rock Cycle Kit™ is our newest kit. It has has 20 samples of rocks and minerals including five  minerals, five igneous rocks, five metamorphic rocks and five sedimentary rocks. The kit also includes a CD PDF eBook with over 30 pages of information and activities about minerals, rocks and how the rock cycle affects our Earth.

This kit is great for classrooms, home school and kids who are starting out in geology.
The kit includes:

· Calcite        · Granite         ·  Marble           · Limestone
· Quartz         · Basalt          · Gneiss           · Sandstone
· Feldspar     ·  Gabbro         · Amphibolite    · Shale
· Pyroxene    ·  Rhyolite       · Quartzite        · Arkose
· Mica           · Syenite         · Slate              · Conglomerate

You will have hours of fun with our Rock Cycle kit samples and eBook! The kit is appropriate for children of any age who can read.  Get yours today.

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/06/our-rock-cycle-kit-is-fun-and-educational/feed/ 0 Holiday Home Decor Clearance http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/03/holiday-home-decor-clearance/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/03/holiday-home-decor-clearance/#comments Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:35:02 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=667 Quartz LampWe are having a holiday clearance on all of our home decor items. These beautiful rock and mineral items make the perfect gift for someone who has everything or someone who enjoys connecting with nature.

Because every rock is unique, each home decor piece is unique in colors, patterns and textures. Our supply is running low, so shop soon to secure your favorites. Choose from:

Candleholders
Sponge Calcite produces a gentle glow through the openings througout the mineral. Fibrous selenite has a special look both lit and unlit with its beautiful strand texture. Agate and Sodalite both have lovely banding and color contrast that is attractive in any decor while citrine crystal points add a touch of elegance of your holiday table.  Prices range from $16.99 to $20.00. Tealight refills available.

Agate Wind ChimesWind Chimes
Our agate wind chimes are a beautiful addition to both indoor and ourdoor settings. Our slab chimes are available in pink and natural colors. For a multicolored effect, choose our agate pillar chimes. Add these to a corner of your home today! Prices range from $16.99 to $23.79.

Mineral SpheresPicture Jasper
What do you get for the office professional? Give a mineral sphere. These unique desk accessories are attractive in any office setting. Choose from snowflake obsidian, picture jasper, sodalite or red snakeskin jasper. Each 2″ sphere comes with a footed stand so that it does not roll away as you work.  Only $12.99.

Sodalite BookendBookends
Everyone has books they need to organize. Make your bookshelves pop with royal blue sodalite or purple agate bookends. These lovely bookends are heavy enough to hold your books in check will adding style and pizzazz to your decor. Prices range from $20.99 to $42.00

Shop now for best selection. If you have questions about any of our products, contact us!

 

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/03/holiday-home-decor-clearance/feed/ 0 These GeoBytes Rock http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/02/these-geobytes-rock/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/02/these-geobytes-rock/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:49:54 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=660 Our new GeoBytes collection are great for holiday and birthday gifts for children and adults who like to collect rocks and fossils. These snippets of history show off some of the most interesting bits of science.

This collection includes citrine druze with a mass of pointed crystals, tumbled and rough rocks and an assortment of unique fossils including sharks teeth, corkscrew archimedes, spiral snails, coral, sand dollars and echinoids.


Price Range: $11.99 – $17.99

 Recommended Age:  5 – 100

Shop now for holiday delivery!

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/12/02/these-geobytes-rock/feed/ 0 http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/10/06/604/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/10/06/604/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:24:29 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=604

NEW GEOBYTES!

Take a byte out of geology with our new collection of rocks, minerals and FOSSILS! We have a great selection of some super old critters and plants including shark teeth, coral, snails, sand dollars and more. View them all in our GeoBytes section.

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/10/06/604/feed/ 0 Diamonds are more than a girl’s best friend, they are April’s birthstone too! http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/04/07/diamonds-are-more-than-a-girls-best-friend-they-are-aprils-birthstone-too/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/04/07/diamonds-are-more-than-a-girls-best-friend-they-are-aprils-birthstone-too/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:48:50 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=553 Did you know that pencil lead and diamonds are made of the same thing?  It is hard to believe but they are both made of carbon!  The carbon forms in different crystal types or shapes, which is why they are different.  Diamond is the hardest mineral, being a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.  Diamonds are found in igneous rocks called Kimberlites, which are formed deep underground (between 90 and 280 miles below the surface of the Earth).  This photo shows cores of kimberlite rock from a drilling event.  Rock cores are stored in core boxes for examination.

The largest diamond ever found is over 7,000 carats which is about the size of your two fists put together.  Because of their beauty and strength, diamonds are used for a wide variety of products from jewelry to industrial cutting blades. The photo at top left shows a group of different sized diamonds which have been cut and faceted.

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2011/04/07/diamonds-are-more-than-a-girls-best-friend-they-are-aprils-birthstone-too/feed/ 0 Our End of the Year Sale is On! http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/12/19/our-end-of-the-year-sale-is-on/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/12/19/our-end-of-the-year-sale-is-on/#comments Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:46:18 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=499 Our end of the year sale is on at Mini Me Geology. Save 50% on all jewelry and home accents. Quantities are limited so order early.

You can also save 20% on our Rock Detectives kits and My Rockin Collection Junior Kits. Shop now for best selection!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Mini Me Geology!

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/12/19/our-end-of-the-year-sale-is-on/feed/ 0 New Bulk Prices! http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/08/23/new-bulk-prices/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/08/23/new-bulk-prices/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:07 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=451 Great news for home school groups, teachers, schools, and kids doing science projects! Today we have unveiled our new bulk pricing on all of our most popular minerals, rocks, streak plates and hand magnifiers. Buy 1 at regular price or 6 for the price of 5. If you really need a bunch of samples, choose 12 samples for the price of 9.

Shop now!

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/08/23/new-bulk-prices/feed/ 0 Sedimentary Rocks http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/02/26/sedimentary-rocks/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/02/26/sedimentary-rocks/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:51:07 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=361 Sedimentary rocks are formed when sand, small pieces of rock, or mud are deposited as layers of sediment.  These layers of sediment are pressed together over a long period of time and form a sedimentary rock from the pressure and cementation process.  Sedimentary rocks are unique because they can be formed from any other rocks type: igneous, metamorphic and even other sedimentary rocks.  Rocks are broken down by wind and water and the pieces are transported to oceans and lakes by rivers and smaller streams.  The rock pieces are deposited in the lakes and oceans in the layers which later become a sedimentary rock.

Sedimentary rocks are unique because they are the only types of rocks that can contain fossils of sea shells and animals.  Fossils form when the soft parts of plants and animals decay and leave the hard parts (such as bones) behind.  The hard parts that are left are then covered with layers of sediment.  When the sediment becomes a rock, the hard parts are preserved in the rock as a fossil.

Read more about geology in the Dig Into Geology section of our website.

]]> http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/02/26/sedimentary-rocks/feed/ 0 Staurolite Twins http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/02/05/staurolite-twins/ http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/2010/02/05/staurolite-twins/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:42:16 +0000 tracyb http://www.minimegeology.com/blog/?p=322

Staurolite is a silicate mineral which occurs in metamorphic rocks and is often found with the minerals kyanite and garnet.  Staurolite is a 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale which has a range from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest), has a glassy to resinous luster and a colorless streak.  Prismatic crystals of staurolite are common and often found twinned.

Twinned crystals of staurolite have been found in both a Greek cross with 90 degrees between the crystals and a St. Andrew’s cross with 60 degrees between the crystals.  Because of the unique look of the twinned crystals, they are often used for jewelry.  Beautiful specimens of staurolite can be found in Madagascar, Switzerland, United State, France and Mexico.

We carry some great specimens of staurolite twins which make a great addition to any collection.  Get your samples of staurolite today!

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